


First Date

by sparkysparky



Series: Erica Reyes; This is Your Life [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Epilepsy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-07
Updated: 2012-07-07
Packaged: 2017-11-09 08:18:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/453334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkysparky/pseuds/sparkysparky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erica's first date is wonderful. Until it isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Date

When Erica is thirteen she goes on her first real date. First date of any kind really. His name is Jeremy, and he’s in most of her classes this year. He’s shorter than her by a couple of inches and has terrible acne. He wears thick coke-bottle glasses and speaks with a lisp because of his headgear. But he’s funny and nice and loves Avatar as much as she does. And best of all, he never, ever makes fun of her. So when he comes up to her after school while they’re waiting for their bus, and stammers out an invitation to go to a movie, she blushes and says yes. It’s the best moment of her life, and for once it’s not ruined by a seizure. When she gets home she tells her Nana that she has a boyfriend. 

On the night of the movie, Erica tries to her hair (following the instructions she found on YouTube on how to curl hair correctly) and carefully consults the internet for makeup tips. But she has frizzy hair that resists all her efforts, and nothing she does with concealer helps the giant zit on her chin. At least the bright yellow dress looks nice, and the French braid Nana helps her with calms most of the frizzyness. Nana comes in and does something almost magical with the makeup and Erica doesn’t even recognize herself. But she likes the bright, happy girl in the mirror and thinks maybe, just maybe, she can stick around for awhile. Everything seems bright and new and for the first time in a long time she starts to hope. 

Jeremy and his mother pick her up at 6, and she blushes all the way to the movie theater. They’re sitting in the backseat together, abortive attempts at conversation doing nothing to mask the awkwardness. She wonders what would happen if she reaches out and takes his hand, but she’s too afraid because her palms are sweaty and she doesn’t want him to think she’s gross. So she keeps her hands to herself and says something about the latest episode of American Idol that she hopes doesn’t sound too stupid. Jeremy’s mother keeps looking in the rear view mirror to smile at them. She doesn’t know what to think about that, but it’s super embarrassing. Jeremy looks mortified, so she doesn’t say anything about it. She doesn’t want to make things worse. After a few minutes they fall into silence for the rest of the drive to the movie theater, stealing glances that make them blush when their eyes meet.

The line isn’t very long, and Erica wishes they had more time before they were at the front. Does she let him pay, or does she offer? While she’s thinking, Jeremy glances at her, cheeks red, and then pays for the tickets. He stumbles over the name of the movie and and the attendant asks if Jeremy meant Coraline, instead of Coraboys. Erica hides a giggle by ducking her head, but she finds the whole exchange charming. Jeremy pays for the popcorn too, but Erica insists on paying for the drinks. Movie food is expensive and she doesn’t’ want to take advantage. It makes her like him even more when he doesn’t make a big deal about the drinks, just smiles shyly and mumbles a thank you. She knows some boys would accuse her of trying to be the boy, but not Jeremy. That’s why she likes him best. 

The movie is wonderful, but Erica doesn’t remember much about it. Mostly she remembers how their hands keep brushing when they reach for the popcorn at the same time, and how halfway through he tries to put his arm around her shoulders. He accidentally hits her in the head, and stammers an apology. The high school couple behind them make annoyed shushing noises, and Erica smothers her giggle in her drink. He tries again a few minutes later, and this time it goes more smoothly and she spends the rest of the movie lost in a happy daze, head resting on his shoulder. Then the movie is over and the lights come up, and he takes his arm away slowly. She mourns the loss, but he’s still smiling at her so it’s not as painful as it could be. When he offers his hand she takes it, and they hold hands all the way to the parking lot. She feels like she’s floating the whole time, and wants to keep this feeling forever. She feels like Cinderella when the Prince finds her with the glass slipper and whisks her off to happy ever after. 

But because she is Erica, and not actually Cinderella, it can’t last. They’re waiting outside for his mother, when it starts. The trembling in her hands, the flashing pain in her head. No, she thinks, please no. But the seizure doesn’t listen to her. It never does. Her body feels chilled all over, but she’s sweating. There’s a metallic taste in her mouth, and she can’t catch her breath. And then there’s nothing. 

When she comes back to herself, there are people standing around her. Jeremy looks terrified, and is hiding half behind his mother. The sound of an ambulance pierces through the pain in her head, and she closes her eyes against the sound. It doesn’t help, but eventually she drifts away and the next time she opens her eyes her Nana is there. Erica reaches out without a word and Nana’s hand is right there. She grips on, and wishes she were anyone else. 

On Monday at school, Jeremy doesn’t look at her and when she sees him at lunch he’s sitting with some other boys and laughing. They’re looking at a phone and she knows what they’re watching. Goddamn camera phones. She feels a terrible sense of anger come over her, and if she were braver she’d march over there and tear the phone out of their hands, crush it beneath her feet. But she’s not brave or strong, so she just ducks her head and heads out of the cafeteria. She doesn’t have an appetite anyway.


End file.
